1. Field of the Invention
This invention pertains to musical instruments, and more particularly to chinrests used with string instruments.
2. Description of the Related Art
The violin, in the most general sense, is a musical instrument that vibrates when played. The degree of vibration and resonance of the instrument is directly related to the degree that the wood is allowed to vibrate freely. Anything that clamps onto the body of the instrument, particularly the top and bottom surfaces, will dampen or impede vibration.
A chinrest is a traditional part of a violin or viola, which allows the player to rest his or her chin while playing, without the chin touching the instrument. Normally, the chinrest includes a black, curved chinrest member made of plastic or wood that is positioned over the top surface of the instrument. The chinrest member is held in position by two clamping elements. Each clamping element includes an upper metal rod, a lower metal rod, and a turnbuckle. During installation on the instrument, the chinrest member is positioned over the instrument so that its flat support surface located on its bottom surface rests on a flat pad. The flat pad partially rests on the angled upper edge, but mostly rests on the top surface of the instrument. Because the upper edge is angled, the flat pad and chinrest member have a tendency to slide inward toward a flat region located immediately adjacent to the angled upper edge and medially to the instrument's sidewall. When the flat pad rests on the flat region and onto the top surface of the instrument, vibration is impeded.
The lower metal rod used with each clamping element includes a flange designed to capture the angled lower edge of the instrument. When the chinrest member slides inward, the upper and lower metal rods, upon which the turnbuckle rotates, contact the upper and lower edges of the instrument, which will impede vibration and can potentially cause damage to the instrument.